Oklahoma state senator, geologist call for federal earthquake task force to develop emergency plan

"A state senator and an Oklahoma petroleum geologist on Monday called for federal task force to develop a statewide emergency action plan in response to the ongoing earthquake swarm," Adam Wilmoth reports for NewsOK. "Sen. Jerry Ellis (D-Valliant) and independent geologist Bob Jackman of Tulsa suggested the panel include representatives from the U.S. and Oklahoma Geological Surveys and scientists from the state’s oil and natural gas industry."

"Under the proposal, the task force would examine and evaluate all nationally published earth science and ongoing studies related to the earthquakes that have been rattling Oklahoma," Wilmoth writes. "The group also would be responsible for releasing findings and proposed solutions."

In June hundreds of residents of Edmond demanded that the state do something to stop the state's surge in earthquakes that many have inked to injection wells. State officials said there isn't enough evidence to link fracking to earthquakes. But Oklahoma recently surpassed California in most earthquakes in the lower 48 states. From 1978 to 2008, before the oil and gas boom hit Oklahoma, the state averaged two earthquakes per year. But from October 2013 to early May of this year, Oklahoma had 189 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or higher. (Read more)